Each contractor has own estimating. Estimatehas to contain material selections so you can compare other contractors and know that you comparing "apples to apples". (Do not expect to have their cost broken down.)

Each phase can have estimated labor time. But that something that most likely included in to the total project cost.

Phase1. Get design done and analyze your lay out and cabinet functionality.

Phase 2. Materials to be used selection.Most impact on your budget makes your selections - door style, construction, finish. Be smart and flexible on door style to get most value for your money.

Phase 3.  Ask for referrals from previous customers from your contractor. Do your homework before you open doors for strangers. 

Phase 4. Sign contract, pay "down payment". Ask for payment and material delivery schedule for your project.

         Last but not the least. Reward your hardworking subs. 

Regards 

Manny Stiega

Make sure that your attic is properly insulated.  Make sure the seals around all windows and doors are in good shape.  If you can see daylight air is entering and leaving as well.

I am assuming it is a standard steel entry door handset.  If the screws are not striped, simply tighten the screws as you would on any entry or passage set.

In MA we have the three day right of recession policy. Our contracts have a Notice of Cancellation document that is in NCR form. The homeowner mails or faxes back a signed copy within three days. 

If your document is unreadable which to me is a warning sign I would call them and ask them what to do and send an email cancelling as well. 

If you have any further questions you can call me at 978-304-0495. Hope I was able to help you.

Stepahnie Vanderbilt 

www.mycoastalwindows.com 

Texas also has a 3 day RoR.

I would agree...let you contractor know immeately by a phone all that you are excersising your 3 day option.  Then follow the cancellation by the letter of the law. 

I would recommend that you keep it professional, short an if possible friendly.  If the contractor wants to know how they could have done it better, please be factural and not immotional.

Phiip Anderson

Berkeley Ca

Set it where you are most comfortable as that is why you have it.  A good idea is to update the thermostat to a programmable version that will run the A/C mostly when you are home and according to your schedule as well as at the desire temperatures.  It isn't necessarily recommended to shut off the A/C on warmer days when you are not there as it will have to struggle to catch up when you turn it back on.  This would be due to the warmer air in the home and the storage of heat in the walls, ceilings, floors etc in your home.

Windows that have a .28 u factor or. Slightly lower, if installed correctly sealing the perimeter with foam are generally adequate for most homes. They will have low -e and argon normally in the csvity between the insulated glass. Now if you want to go for triple glazed glass and low e and Krypton glass, you can get down to .17 u. Generally the additional cost and added weight do not pay for the added expense. You may do well to also add insulation in the attic and make sure you ventilate the soffit and fascia. Heat tends to travel up. Make sure you get a good installer that know s how to insulate and do a quality install. 

Generac, Kohler and Briggs Stratton control about 90% of the residential standby generator market in the US.  All three are established manufacturers with broad and reliable product lines.  A more important consideration might be standby generator control systems - modern CPU-based controls make it possible to serve more loads with less capacity than older on-off only controls.  

Getting to the best match for each individual situation requires sales technicians who stay current on changing generator and control product lines as well as basic residential wiring.  

Here are some questions you should hear from your sales person:

1. Do you require your heating system to operate during power loss?
2. Do you require your air conditioning system to operate during power loss?
3. Do you require your domestic water heating system to operate during power loss?
4. Does your house depend on a private water supply system?
5. Does your house depend on a private sewage disposal system?
6. Is natural gas available to your property?  Do you have LP gas service in your area?
7. Do you have special standby electric power needs?
8. Based on a complete list of your standby electric power requirements, please arrange the loads in priority order.

Same as others said, Remodeling magazine's Cost Vs. Value report is a great resource!

As a roofing contractor, of course I am going to suggest an upgrade to your roofing system. And that's not just a biased opinion either. Working with a lot of realtors in our area it has been proven that the roof can be as much as 40% of your curb appeal. Especially when the system incudes things like the right color drip edge on the rakes and eaves, and high profile ridge caps. Both of those items are relatively inexpensive and can make a very noticibale difference compared to homes that don't have them. Selecting the proper type of shingle of course also plays a huge role. About 95% of re-roofs these days use a standard architectural tpye compositions shingle but picking something from the designer line can realy make your home stand apart. Then again, other rof covering options besides ashphalt shingles can make an even greater impact. 

As a GAF Master Elite Copntractor, we are partial to their line of products and I have included a link below to their designer apshpalt series.

Good luck!

http://www.gaf.com/Roofing/Residential/Products/Shingles/Designer

I agree with Chris.  The Cost vs Value report is the "go to" guide and is impartial.  Personally, I like to focus on first impressions and curb appeal.  Exterior dressings like corwn mouldings and simple shrub pruning is a great low cost way to give the home a wow factor.

You might also contact a couple of local realtors to see what people in your area are looking for in the home they want to purchase.

Check out the 2018 Cost vs Value Report from Remodeling Magazine.

2018 Remodeling Cost vs Value Report

This will give you an idea of the average return on your investment in the region where you live.

The one factor it will not give you is number of intangibles you may receive from the project you're considering.

• Lifestyle enhancement
• Number of years living in your new space
• New opportunities the space now provides

Make sure those are also part of your equation before making a final decision on the impact a remodeling project may make on the "value" of your home.